US2264120A - Bookstack shelf of the bar type - Google Patents

Description

A. s. MACDONALD ErAL BO OKSTACK SHELF OF THE BAR TYPE Nov. 25, 1941.

2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed May 18, 1939 ATTORNEY3 Nov. 25, 1941. A. s. MACDONALD ETAL BOOKSTACK SHELF. OF"THE BAR TYPE Filed May 18, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 wfwety/ ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 25, 1941 2,264,120 BOOKSTACK SHELF OF THE BAR'TYPE Angus S. Macdonald, Rapidan, Va., and Charles H. Gersley, Hillside, N. J.,

assignors t Snead &

Company, Jersey City, N, J., a corporation of New Jersey Application May 18, 1939, Serial 2 14340 9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in shelves of the bar type particularly useful in library bookstacks.

One of the primary objects of our invention is the provision of a bar shelf of sheet metal construction which is of simple form, ineXpensive to manufacture, of neat appearance and of light but rugged construction.

Other objects and advantages capable of realization by the preferred form of our invention will appear as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a plan view of a shelf constructed in accordance with our invention, a portion of the shelf being broken out to condense the figure, the upper right-hand corner portion being shown in section, and the shelf being shown applied to well-known shelf supporting castings of a bookstack;

Figure 2 is a cross-section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but taken on the line -4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view taken substantially on the line 6-6 of Figure 2 and illustrating the application of book supports to the shelf.

Our improved bar shelf comprises a pair of end members I of general channel section, a plurality of shelf bars 8 also of general channel section, and a tie rod 9 located intermediate of the pair of end members and extending parallel thereto for holding the shelf bars at the proper spacing at their central portions.

The end members each comprise a web ill, a lower flange l l, and an upper flange l2 and the shelf bars -8 each com-prise side walls or flanges l3 and a rounded or crowned top or web 14. The end portions [5 of the shelf bars are received between the flanges H and I2 of the end members and abut against the webs Iii, it being noted that the crowned tops M are flattened down at the end portions as illustrated in Figures 3, .4 and .5 so as to fit under the upper flanges 12 of the end members.

In order to position the bars in predetermined spaced relation along the end members the side walls of the shelf bars are provided with slots or notches l6 adjacent their ends which cooperate with spaced slots or notches 1''] provided in the upturned edge portions 18 of the lower flanges H of the end members.

i portions '22 of the The front shelf bar 8a is secured to the end members I, I as by means of the tabs l9 pro.- vided on the inbent front end portions 211 of the end members, and the rear shelf bar 817 is Sim.- ilarly secured to the end members as by means of the tabs 2! provided .on the inbent rear end end members. The tabs 13 and 2| :pass through openings 23 24 in the shelf bars 8a and 812 respectively and are bent against theside walls of the bars as clearly shown in Figures 1, 3, 4 and 5.

The shelf bars are provided with ledges or shoulders extending longitudinally along their upper and lower portions, the upper ledges or shoulders 25 being provided by having the top H .of the bars overhang or project beyond the side walls l3, and the lower ledges or shoulders '26 being provided by the returned or rebent edge portions 21 of the side walls 13. Stated in another way the upper ledges 25 are formed at the inner ture of the web and flanges of the bars and con.- stitute outer or external ledges, and the lower ledges 26 are formed by the rebent portions 21 at the margins of the flanges l3 and constitute inner .or internal ledges.

It is to be noted that the edge portions I21 .of the bars are inturned or rebent loosely, i. e. they are not closed in flat against the side walls of the bars but are spaced vtherefrom so .as to form internal ledges or shoulders ofapproximately the same size as the external ledges 25 This also provides well rounded lower which is advantageous .in that it affords protec:- tion against scraping the top edges of :books when placing them on or removing them' fromv the shelves.

Referring particularly .to Figures '1 and '2, it will be seen that in this instance a plurality .of the bars toward the front of the shelf are spaced ateq-ual intervals and that the remaining or rear bars are spaced .at a different orgreater. interval. The spacing between the front bars is such that the distance from the outer wall surface of .one bar to the .adjacentouter wall surface of the adjacent bar, indicated the reference letter a in Figure 2, is approximately equal to .the distance between the inner wall surfaces of the :bars, indicated by the reference letter --b. Since the distance a equals the distance b and since the internal and external shoulders are of the same size it will be noted that the space 0 between the adjacent external shoulders of adjacent-bars equals the space at between the internal shoulders of the bars. In other instances all of the bars are arranged with uniform spacing.

edges on the bars 'at 3| and .32.

The proportion of the parts and the spacing referred to is particularly advantageous with respect to the application of book supports to the shelves, as will be seen by reference to Figures 2 and 6 in which the book supports are indicated by the reference numeral 28.

The book. supports are provided with T-like portions 29 adapted to-engage either the external or the internal shoulders of the bars so that the same book support may be placed either in standing or suspended position as illustrated. The book supports also have wing-like portions 38 which engage the bars to hold the .book supports in their positions. This arrangement of the book supports is particularly advantageous in that the book supports may be readily placed in any position along the shelf and moved from one position of another in a very simple manner. The construction of T-like portions of the book supports and the disposition of the internal and ex- 'ternal shoulders of the bars are such that the book supports, whether in standing or suspended position, may be slid past the tie rod without interference. The provision of an arrangement whereby the standing position or hung from underneath the shelves is very useful in supporting tall books which cannot be adequately held by a book support of ordinary size standing upright on the shelf. The suspended book supports are also particularly useful where an open-bar shelf is employed directly above a solid plate shelf, such as book supports may be disposed in is usually found at the bottom of a free standing bracket stack.

The size of 'the book shelf may be varied in width from front to back by changing-the number of bars, or changing the spacing of the rear bars,.it being noted that in any case the spacing of at least the front bars is kept such as to enablethe interchangeable useof the same crosssection of bar and the same book supports.

.The tie rod 9 above referred to passes through all ofthe bars, as is clearly shown in Figure 2, and is secured in place, for example, by riveting or spinning over the ends of the rod, as indicated The shelf bars are held in their proper spaced relation along the tie rod by means provided on the tie rod for engaging the walls of .the shelf bars, as indicated at 33,-which in this instance is accomplishedby deforming the tie rods immediately adjacent the walls of the shelf bars. Thus a. very simple and effective method of support is provided to maintain the proper and predetermined spacing of the bars from end to end .of the shelf.

By employing end members of channel form arranged with their flanges facing each other and adapted-to receive and position the end portions of the shelf bars between the flnages we have provided a bar shelf which is smooth at the ends and of. neat appearance becauseno part of the shelf bars projects through the webs of the end members 7.

Furthermore the cross-section of the bars with their longitudinally extending ledges is such that they havev great strength, and serve to increase the ratio of bar area to gap area. These ledges or overhanging shoulders also protect the vertical sides ofthe bar from falling dust. The end bars because of their channel form are also very strong. The simple manner in which the bars are interlocked with the end members is very economical of material.

Bar shelves constructed in accordance with our invention arepartioularly useful in bookstacks in which case the shelves are carried by upright shelf supporting members or castings such as indicated by the reference numeral 34 in Figure 1. The castings 34 are provided with a plurality of vertically spaced lugs 35 on which the shelves rest, it being noted that the end members 1 of the shelf have notched or cut away portions 36 toward the rear thereof for engagement with the lugs 35. Similarly, vertically spaced notches 31 are provided at the front edge of the castings 34 adapted to receive pins 38 secured to the end members 1 of the shelves toward the front thereof.

We claim:

1. A bookstack shelf comprising a pair of end members having lower flange-like portions facing each other, upturned edge portions on said flange-like portions having notches at spaced intervals longitudinally therealong, and a plurality of shelf bars extending between said end members with their end portions notched to have interlocking engagement with said upturned edge portions at the notches therein.

2. A bookstack shelf comprising a pair of end members, a plurality of bars supported from said end members, cooperating means on said end members and bars for positioning the bars in predetermined spaced relation, said bars being of general channel shape in cross-section with their webs crowned and overhanging their flanges to provide external shoulders at the top portions of the bars, said flanges being rebent inwardly to provide internal shoulders at the bottom portions of the bars, and the size of said external shoulders being approximately equal to the size of said internal shoulders.

3. A bookstack shelf comprising a pair of end members, a plurality of bars supported from said end members, cooperating means on said end members and bars for positioning the bars in predetermined spaced relation, said bars being of general channel shape in cross-section with their flanges rebent inwardly to provide internalledges and having external ledges formed at the juncture of their flanges and webs, together with standing book supports engageable with adja cent external ledges of adjacent bars, and suspended book supports engageable with the internal ledges of the bars.

4. A bookstack shelf comprising a pair of end members, a plurality of shelf bars of general channel shape positioned between said end members, cooperating means on said end members and said bars for spacing the bars a predetermined distance apart, longitudinally extending external shoulders on said bars at the'juncture of their flanges and webs, inwardly rebent portions on the flanges of the bars providing longitudinally extending internal shoulders, the spacing means on. said end members for certain of said shelf bars being so located that the gap between the adjacent external shoulders of adjacent bars approximately equals the gap between the internal shoulders of the bars.

5. A bookstack shelf comprising a pair of end members, a plurality of shelf bars of general channel shape positioned between said end members, cooperating means on said end members and said bars for spacing the bars a predetermined distance apart, longitudinally extending external shoulders on said bars at the juncture of their flanges and webs, inwardly rebent portions on the flanges of the bars providing longi tudinally extending internal shoulders, the spac ing means on said end members for .certain of said shelf bars being so located that the distance between the adjacent outer surfaces of the flanges of adjacent bars is approximately equal to the distance between the inner surface of the flanges of the bars.

6. In combination, a bookstack bar shelf and book supports, said book supports having positioning means and the shelf bars having external shoulders extending longitudinally thereof coacting with said positioning means to enable the book supports to be placed in standing positions and internal shoulders extending longitudinally thereof coacting with said positioning means to enable the book supports to be placed in suspended positions.

7. In combination, a bookstack bar shelf and book supports, the bars of said shelf having upper external and lower internal longitudinally extending shoulders, and said book supports having T-like means adapted to engage said external shoulders to enable the book supports to be placed in standing positions and to engage said internal shoulders to enable the book supports to be placed in suspended positions, and said book supports also having wing-like portions engaging the bars to hold the book supports in their positions.

8. A bookstack shelf comprising a pair of end members, a plurality of shelf bars of general channel shape positioned between said end members, cooperating means on said end members and said bars for spacing the bars a predetermined distance apart, longitudinally extending external shoulders on said bars at the juncture of their flanges and webs, inwardly rebent portions on the flanges of the bars providing longitudinally extending internal shoulders, tie rod means extending through and crosswise of said bars to constitute cross bracing for the shelf, the spacing means on said end members for said bars being so disposed that the gap between the adjacent external shoulders of adjacent bars approximately equals the gap between the internal shoulders of the bars, book supports having T- like portions engageable with said external shoulders to provide a standing'book support, and engageable with said internal shoulders to provide a suspended book support, said tie rod means, said shoulders and said T-like portions being so constructed that the book supports whether in standing or suspended position may be moved from end to end of the bars without interference with said tie rod means.

9. A bookstack shelf comprising a pair of end members, a plurality of shelf bars of general channel shape positioned between said end members, cooperating means on said end members and said bars for spacing the bars 'a predetermined distance apart, longitudinally extending external shoulders on said bars at the juncture of their flanges and webs, inwardly rebent portions on the flanges of the bars providing longitudinally extending internal shoulders, the spacing means on said end members for said bars being so disposed that the gap between the adjacent external shoulders of adjacent bars approximately equals the gap between the internal shoulders of the bars, book supports having T- like portions engageable with said external shoulders to provide a standing book support, and engageable with said internal shoulders to provide a suspended book support.

ANGUS s MACDONALD. CHAS. H. GERSLEY.

Images